by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

The NBA believes in accountability, even when it means publicly calling out an employee.

A crucial judgment call Wednesday cost the Toronto Raptors a chance to send their game against the Chicago Bulls into a second overtime period. Well, it turns out the referee got it wrong.

Raptors forward Amir Johnson drove to the basket with 3.3 seconds left in overtime and the Bulls leading 107-105. He went up for a shot, but Bulls center Joakim Noah was whistled for a foul on the floor, forcing the Raptors to inbound the ball again.

With one second remaining in overtime of the Chicago Bulls-Toronto Raptors game on January 16, officials called a foul on Chicago's Joakim Noah as Toronto's Amir Johnson gathered the ball while driving to the basket. The officials ruled the foul was on the floor but upon review at the league office, the video replay confirmed that the foul should have been called a shooting foul with Johnson receiving two free throws.

A video replay shows Noah hitting Johnson as he's going up for his shot. These calls are made very quickly, but this was a particularly important moment for a team that hasn't received any breaks all season.

The Raptors have been saddled by injuries most of the season, and Johnson has emerged from the bench to be their best player all while barely able to walk according to Toronto reports. Games like Wednesday's, a chance to beat a likely playoff team, are rare. That's why it's good the NBA is transparent in its mistakes.